Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Szczecin is an institution responsible for implementing environmental policy in the following areas: nature conservation management, including Natura 2000 sites, control of the investment process. It also carries out tasks related to the prevention and remedying of damage to the environment. It is responsible for the management of environmental information. The Office was established under the Act of 3 October 2008 on the Provision of Information on the Environment and its Protection, Public Participation in Environmental Protection and Environmental Impact Assessments.
The Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Szczecin is managed by the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Szczecin – the non-combined government administration, which is subordinate to the General Director for Environmental Protection.
The basic tasks of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection:
- conducting environmental impact assessments of projects or participating in those assessments;
- participation in strategic and cross-border environmental impact assessments;
- creation and liquidation of nature reserves;
- agreeing on draft resolutions of other bodies on the establishment or abolition of other forms of nature protection;
- establishing protection zones for plants, animals and fungi sanctuaries;
- Natura 2000 sites functioning coordination and management;
- issuing permits for derogations from the prohibitions applicable to protected species of plants, animals and fungi;
- issuing permits for derogations from the prohibitions in nature reserves;
- agreeing on draft permits to remove trees within a public road lane;
- estimating damages caused by protected animals under the responsibility of the Treasury;
- conducting inspections in botanical gardens, zoos, animal rehabilitation centers;
- developing conservation plans and protection tasks for nature reserves and conservation plans and plans of protection tasks for Natura 2000 sites;
- conditions’ determination for conducting activities in the areas of nature conservation forms, in protective precincts designated under the act on inland fishing, as well as within natural water courses;
- agreeing on planning documents in the field of spatial development;
- execution of tasks relating to prevention and remedying of environmental damage;
- providing information on the environment;
- giving opinions on applications for organizations’ registration in the national eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS);
- agreeing on regional parliament draft resolutions defining agglomeration;
- implementation of tasks related to waste management in enclosed areas.
